BW Ideol’s project for a concrete floating wind foundations factory in Fos-sur-Mer, France, has been awarded up to EUR 74 million in funding by the European Commission under the EU Innovation Fund.
Named Fos3F, the project was chosen with ten others in the Cleantech Manufacturing segment focusing on renewable energy components. The European Commission and project developers will finalize the grant agreement by 2026, detailing budget, timetable, technical deliverables, and legal responsibilities, as stated by the EC in a press release.
BW Ideol’s project also received the Strategic Technology for Europe Platform (STEP) seal, recognizing its potential. The planned factory on France’s Mediterranean coast will focus on serial production of concrete substructures using BW Ideol’s Damping Pool design.
“This design is the only floating foundation proven at sea on two continents, engineered for both current (15+ MW) and next-generation (20+ MW) floating wind turbines,” according to BW Ideol.
The project’s innovation involves adapting technologies like gantry slip-forming and automated prefabrication for serial production of BW Ideol’s foundations. The factory aims to support multiple floating wind projects in France, Spain, Italy, and Greece, with a market size estimated at 8 GW by 2043.
BW Ideol reports the factory in Fos-sur-Mer will significantly boost the local economy, generating about 1,300 direct jobs.
“We are very proud that our Fos3F project has been awarded under the EU Innovation Fund and received the STEP seal. This recognition by the European Commission underlines the strategic importance of this factory for the energy transition of the Mediterranean coast and the relevance of our positioning and products. Support from the European Union will be a catalyst for the implementation of this factory and for structuring a competitive floating wind industry,” stated Paul de la Guérivière, CEO of BW Ideol.
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